Confusing Best before dates and Expiry dates ?

                                            Week 5 ( Save $5 )

The topic of "Best before date" and "Expiry dates" on food products must come up in conversation at least a few times a week. It's very confusing to all!!

I hope I can clarify the two different labels.  Apparently thousands of food products gets thrown out because of this "confusing" label which leads to wastage of food and MONEY!

Best before dates guarantees freshness.  It has nothing to do with food safety. It does not mean the FOOD has gone BAD THAT DAY !!

All Food products that will only stay fresh for 90 days or less must have the Best Before Date. Some foods maybe consumed even passed the best before date.

Once a sealed food product has been opened, use your judgement. When in doubt, especially with foods that have been opened, dented, or smells, throw it out. Potato chips, crackers, cereals my loose their crunch after the best before date. If you can handle the stale taste, then eat it. If not, toss it.

When it comes to fresh meats such as chicken, pork and beef, etc. It's best to cook the meats before the best to date label because these foods contain pathogens. Same goes for dairy products such as milk, cheese, yoghourts etc.

But if your dairy product has not been opened and the date has passed. Don't be so quick to toss it out. It's still safe to eat.

Butter can be frozen, it's best to use the butter quickly once it's thawed within the next few days...bake some cookies or cakes.

Frozen meats should be consumed two days after thawing.

Canned foods can be consumed up to two years or more... if properly stored in cool dry spot with no bulges, rust or dents. If you encounter any of these issues, its time to throw them out.

Dry pasta has a self life of two years if stored properly. Egg pasta has a shorter shelf life. Best to use it according to date stamped on the package.

Whey powder supplement

Expiry Dates are marked with  "EXP" or EXPIRY" and only apply to 5 products:

• baby formula and other human milk substitutes
• meal replacements
• nutritional supplements
• pharmacist sold foods for very low- energy diets
• formulate liquid diets

Any of these foods should NEVER be consumed after the expiry date.

When in doubt, use your judgement and just throw it out.

Brunch it!

                                                            Week 4 ( Save $4 )

January blues...the coldest and longest winter ever filled with coughs and sniffles, lack of sunshine and a New Year with a new blah start.


Get through the January dumps by socialising. Disconnect with your media devices and apps and physically go out and network with people, it's old school but it works!

If hosting a dinner party is not your thing why not BRUNCH it!  

Host a simple bunch at your home or at your favorite local restaurant.  I am sure it will kick up your mood and energy level.


                       Set a new trend by connecting with people and feel better again.

                                                             ENJOY !

 

 

DIY Dog Scarves

                                                          Week 3 ( Save $3 )

Dog scarves? Why not keep your loyal canine warm and trendy at the same time!

 

Here is a super DIY which requires little or no skill or time.

 

All you need is an old scarf and hair tie.

 

    

Fold your scarf in half. Depending how big your dog's neck is, you may either need a longer scarf or just shorten it.

 

Take one hair tie and wrap around folded scarf and tie a few times until tightly secured to form a loop.

   

 

 

 

     (Here is a close up view)

       

     

Now pull the scarf ends through the loop and TADA!! A doggie infinity scarf!

 

           Now how easy was that!

You may need to adjust the loop and size to fit your canine.

          

           Remove the hair tie and it's ready for the washing machine.

        

      

 

 

 

                Here is JAKIE sporting one of many of his scarves

         

                                                            ENJOY!

 

Is $25 gift card good enough?

                                                                          Week 2 ( Save $2 )

Late last year, Loblaw Companies Ltd.  announce they would give out gift cards to customers as the grocer's role in "the price fixing" of bread from 2002 to 2015..that insane! A whole decade, no wonder why customers were so angered when they learnt of this scandal and Loblaws did play a role in this. Apparently, price fixing is more common than we think, we just don't know what goes on behind the scenes of these big food companies.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. is offering customers a $25 gift card as a goodwill gesture after admitting the company participated in an industry-wide bread price-fixing arrangement.

Sign up for your gift card at loblawcard.ca, no proof of purchase is required. The age of majority is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, P.E.I., Quebec and Saskatchewan. It is 19 in B.C., New Brunswick,
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and the tree territories.

Here are a list of the products that hiked up:

• Ben's Bread.
• Bon Matin Bread.
• Country Harvest Bread.
• Dempster's Bread.
• D'Italiano Bread.
• Gadoua Bread.
• McGavin's Bread.
• No Name Bread.
• Old Mill Bread.
• POM Bread.
• Weston Bread.
• Wonder Bread.

If you have purchased any of the brand products from any related Loblaw's store such as No Frills, Superstore, Zehrs, Provigo and many others listed above, then you are entitled to participate!

Note, the fine print in the agreement Make sure you read the fine print at the bottom of the sign-up form itself makes it clear that if you sign up, $25 will be deducted from any potential payouts from lawsuits down the line.

"Agreeing to this release will not impact your right to participate in any class actions relating to an overcharge on the price of packaged bread," the fine print reads.

Loblaws does reserve the right to limit the number of cards issued under this program.

Loblaws hopes by directing the gift cards to the consumers, it will show their commitment to obtain consumers trust and confidence.  Sign up begins January 8 to May 9.

Millions of people with take advantage of this offer as "Free Money". But as consumers, this is just an olive leaf of a payout and as consumers we should be outraged and upset by this whole price fixing situation as it continues to unravel.

                              How does this price fixing make you feel as a consumer?

 

A New Year

                                                                         Week 1 ( Save $1)

 

Just follow the weekly/biweekly blogs to successfully save $1378 at the end of the 52 weeks.  We will start by saving $1 for the first week.  $2 for week two, then $3 for the third week and so on. Just keep increasing and continue the amount by a dollar over the next 52 weeks. The most you will ever put into your favourite piggy bank is $52 and at the end of the annual challenge you will hopefully realize how easy it is to save with just a little discipline. 

This is a great challenge for the whole family, especially when it comes to teaching children the value of money and how to spend responsibly.

I hope you will participate in this challenge.  Maybe ... donate all the savings to a worthy cause that is dear to your heart.

                                                     ENJOY!